Cover a lot of ground
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idiom

Cover a lot of ground

Meaning
to deal with a lot of information or material
Example
The lecture **covered a lot of ground** in just one hour.
idiom

change your tune

Meaning
to change your opinion or attitude
Example
He criticized the plan at first but later **changed his tune**.
idiom

Cut from the same cloth

Meaning
To be very similar in character or behavior.
Example
Those two brothers are **cut from the same cloth**.
idiom

comic relief

Meaning
a funny moment in a serious situation
Example
The movie’s sidekick provided much-needed **comic relief**.
idiom

Clean hands

Meaning
To be innocent or free from guilt.
Example
He claims to have **clean hands** in the scandal.
idiom

connect the dots

Meaning
to make connections between ideas or information
Example
Once you **connect the dots**, the whole picture will make sense.
idiom

cold case

Meaning
a criminal case that has not been solved for a long time
Example
The detective reopened a **cold case** from 1999.
idiom

chip in

Meaning
to contribute money or effort to a shared goal
Example
Everyone agreed to **chip in** for Maya’s farewell gift.
idiom

call to mind

Meaning
to remember or recall something
Example
This song **calls to mind** my childhood days.
idiom

carry the weight of the world

Meaning
to take on a lot of responsibility
Example
John felt like he had to **carry the weight of the world** on his shoulders at work.
idiom

climbing the ladder

Meaning
to improve one's position, typically in a career or personal growth
Example
He started at the bottom of the company and has been **climbing the ladder** ever since.
idiom

chapter and verse

Meaning
to provide full and exact details about something
Example
She can quote **chapter and verse** to support her argument.
idiom

carry through

Meaning
to complete something despite difficulties
Example
She promised to **carry through** with the training program.
idiom

climb the corporate ladder

Meaning
to advance in one’s career or position in a company
Example
He worked hard to **climb the corporate ladder**.
idiom

come out clean

Meaning
To be proven innocent or free from blame.
Example
After investigation, he **came out clean**.
idiom

cut above the rest

Meaning
to be better than others
Example
His presentation was **a cut above the rest**.
idiom

cover your bases

Meaning
to prepare for all possible outcomes; to be cautious
Example
Make sure you **cover your bases** before presenting the report.
idiom

caught between a rock and a hard place

Meaning
in a difficult situation where any choice you make will have negative consequences
Example
I'm **caught between a rock and a hard place** - both options are terrible.
idiom

code like a machine

Meaning
to work extremely fast and efficiently on programming
Example
She can **code like a machine** when a deadline is near.
idiom

call it a day

Meaning
to stop working for the day
Example
Let’s **call it a day** and go home.
idiom

come crashing down

Meaning
to suddenly fail or collapse
Example
Their plans **came crashing down** after the crisis.
idiom

chicken out

Meaning
to decide not to do something because of fear
Example
He was going to ask her out but **chickened out** at the last minute.
idiom

carry the burden

Meaning
to take on responsibility or a difficult task
Example
She had to **carry the burden** of the entire project alone.
idiom

clear your head

Meaning
to stop thinking about something for a while and relax
Example
After a stressful week, I like to take a walk to **clear my head**.
idiom

cut through the noise

Meaning
to stand out from the competition; to be noticed despite distractions
Example
Our campaign needs to **cut through the noise** and grab people’s attention.
idiom

cut back on

Meaning
to reduce the amount of something
Example
We’re trying to **cut back on** eating out during the week.
idiom

check up on

Meaning
to verify that someone or something is doing well
Example
I’ll **check up on** the interns after the training session.
idiom

carry forward

Meaning
to move something to a later period
Example
We’ll **carry forward** the unused budget to next quarter.
idiom

cold call

Meaning
to contact a potential customer without prior introduction
Example
He spent all morning making **cold calls** to new clients.
idiom

come to light

Meaning
to become known or revealed
Example
The truth finally **came to light** after many years.
B2 idiom

close but no cigar

Almost correct or successful but not quite
Meaning
Almost correct or successful but not quite
Example
He was close to winning the competition, but close but no cigar.
He was close to winning the competition, but close but no cigar.
idiom

catch the travel bug

Meaning
to become very interested in traveling
Example
After visiting Thailand, she really **caught the travel bug**.
idiom

Catch on

Meaning
To begin to understand something.
Example
It took him a while to **catch on** to the new rules.
idiom

cut through the red tape

Meaning
to remove bureaucratic obstacles or delays
Example
The new policy helps **cut through the red tape** and speed up approvals.
idiom

Cook up a story

Meaning
To invent a false story.
Example
He **cooked up a story** to explain why he was late.
idiom

come out on top

Meaning
to be the best or most successful in a situation
Example
Despite the competition, she **came out on top**.
idiom

carry the responsibility

Meaning
to be in charge of something or to be responsible for it
Example
As the project leader, he had to **carry the responsibility** for the entire team.
idiom

cold war

Meaning
a state of political hostility and tension between countries without actual warfare
Example
During the 20th century, the United States and the Soviet Union were engaged in a **cold war**.
idiom

click-through rate

Meaning
the percentage of users who click on an ad or link
Example
Our **click-through rate** improved after we changed the headline.
idiom

cry over spilt milk

Meaning
to be upset about something that cannot be changed
Example
There’s no use **crying over spilt milk**.
idiom

Cut class

Meaning
To skip a class without permission
Example
He **cut class** to watch a movie.
idiom

canary in the coal mine

Meaning
an early warning of potential danger
Example
Melting glaciers are the **canary in the coal mine** for climate change.
idiom

caught red-handed

Meaning
to be caught in the act of doing something wrong
Example
The thief was **caught red-handed** stealing the wallet.
idiom

Caught on camera

Meaning
Recorded on video; captured visually
Example
The accident was **caught on camera** by a passerby.
idiom

crash and burn

Meaning
to fail completely or suddenly
Example
The new software update **crashed and burned** after launch.
idiom

cut loose

Meaning
to behave freely and enjoy oneself
Example
It’s the weekend—time to **cut loose**!
idiom

conversion rate

Meaning
The percentage of visitors to a website who take a desired action, such as making a purchase or signing up.
Example
Our **conversion rate** has significantly improved after the redesign of the website.
idiom

Curiosity killed the cat

Meaning
Being too inquisitive can lead to trouble.
Example
Don't ask too many questions about his past — **curiosity killed the cat**.
idiom

change one's tune

Meaning
to change one's opinion or attitude
Example
After hearing the good news, he decided to **change his tune**.
idiom

come down hard on

Meaning
to punish or criticize someone severely
Example
The company **came down hard on** employees who broke the rules.
idiom

call a spade a spade

Meaning
to speak honestly and directly, even if it’s unpleasant
Example
She always **calls a spade a spade**, no matter who gets offended.
idiom

Chart a course

Meaning
To plan a way to achieve something.
Example
The company has **charted a course** for global expansion.
idiom

cover up

Meaning
to hide the truth about something
Example
They tried to **cover up** the mistake.
idiom

clean up one’s act

Meaning
to improve behavior or performance; to become more responsible
Example
The factory had to **clean up its act** to avoid heavy fines.
idiom

clear the air

Meaning
to remove tension or misunderstanding by talking openly
Example
We need to sit down and **clear the air** about what happened last week.
idiom

check over

Meaning
to examine something carefully for mistakes
Example
Let’s **check over** the draft before sending it.
idiom

close ranks

Meaning
to unite and support each other when facing opposition
Example
The employees **closed ranks** after the company came under criticism.
idiom

come to terms with

Meaning
to reach an agreement or accept a situation after some negotiation
Example
It took some time, but eventually we **came to terms with** the new policy.
idiom

can of worms

Meaning
a complex problem that may cause more trouble once started
Example
AI bias is a **can of worms** that’s hard to fix.
idiom

crack the whip

Meaning
to use authority to make people work harder or obey rules
Example
The new manager is **cracking the whip** to improve productivity.
idiom

crack the books

Meaning
to open your books and begin studying
Example
It's time to **crack the books** and prepare for finals.
idiom

cross one's heart

Meaning
to make a sincere promise, often used by children
Example
I’ll never lie to you again, **cross my heart**.
idiom

confide in someone

Meaning
to trust someone enough to tell them secrets
Example
She only **confides in** her best friend.
idiom

cut a deal

Meaning
to reach a business agreement quickly
Example
They **cut a deal** to save both companies money.
idiom

cancel culture

Meaning
the practice of withdrawing support from someone after they do something offensive
Example
Many celebrities fear **cancel culture** online.
idiom

call to action

Meaning
a prompt that encourages an immediate response from an audience
Example
Your ad must include a strong **call to action**.
idiom

chase rainbows

Meaning
to try to achieve something impossible
Example
Stop **chasing rainbows** and focus on reality.
idiom

crunch the numbers

Meaning
to process data or analyze statistics
Example
AI can **crunch the numbers** faster than any human.
idiom

call on

Meaning
to request someone to speak or do something
Example
The teacher will **call on** you if you raise your hand.
idiom

catch a bug

Meaning
to find a problem or defect in a system
Example
The developer was able to **catch a bug** in the system before it went live.
idiom

cool off with

Meaning
to refresh oneself using something
Example
We’ll **cool off with** iced tea after the run.
idiom

come a long way

Meaning
to make a lot of progress or improvement
Example
She has **come a long way** since she started her career.
idiom

cop a plea

Meaning
to plead guilty to a lesser charge in order to avoid a more severe penalty
Example
He decided to **cop a plea** and serve a shorter sentence.
idiom

come out of one's shell

Meaning
to become more outgoing or confident
Example
She used to be shy, but now she has finally **come out of her shell**.
idiom

cross the floor

Meaning
to change political allegiance or party
Example
The MP shocked everyone when he decided to **cross the floor** and join the opposition.
idiom

Change is the only constant

Meaning
Everything in life keeps changing; nothing stays the same.
Example
Don’t resist — change is the only constant.
idiom

carry yourself with confidence

Meaning
to behave in a confident and assured way
Example
She always **carries herself with confidence** during meetings.
idiom

cat nap

Meaning
a short sleep during the day
Example
I took a **cat nap** before the meeting.
idiom

carry weight

Meaning
to have influence or importance
Example
His opinion **carries a lot of weight** in this organization.
idiom

Caught with your pants down

Meaning
To be caught unprepared or embarrassed.
Example
The manager was **caught with his pants down** when asked about the figures.
idiom

cut corners

Meaning
to do something in the easiest or cheapest way
Example
They **cut corners** to finish the project faster.
idiom

crossed wires

Meaning
a misunderstanding between two people
Example
We must have **crossed wires** about the meeting time.
idiom

crybaby

Meaning
someone who complains or cries easily
Example
Don’t be a **crybaby**, it’s just a small scratch.
idiom

Cut your losses

Meaning
To stop doing something that is no longer profitable.
Example
It’s better to **cut your losses** and move on.
idiom

Catwalk queen

Meaning
A woman who is very confident and stylish, like a model
Example
She walked into the room like a **catwalk queen**.
idiom

circle of friends

Meaning
a group of people you are friendly with
Example
She has a large **circle of friends** from college.
idiom

cut and paste solution

Meaning
an easy or unoriginal fix; a copied approach
Example
That’s just a **cut and paste solution**, not a real fix.
idiom

cry a river

Meaning
to cry a lot or show extreme sadness
Example
He **cried a river** after hearing the news.
idiom

cover all the bases

Meaning
to prepare for every possible situation
Example
We need to **cover all the bases** before the meeting.
idiom

cover all the angles

Meaning
to examine a story or issue from every perspective
Example
The journalist tried to **cover all the angles** before publishing the article.
idiom

change your mind

Meaning
to decide something different from before
Example
She **changed her mind** about going to the party.
idiom

cut to the chase

Meaning
to get to the point quickly
Example
Let’s **cut to the chase** and discuss the main issue.
idiom

come of age

Meaning
to reach maturity; to become fully developed
Example
The company has **come of age** in the last few years.
idiom

carry the load

Meaning
to take responsibility for something difficult
Example
She had to **carry the load** after her manager resigned.
idiom

code your way out

Meaning
to solve a problem through programming skills
Example
When the system crashed, she managed to **code her way out**.
idiom

curtain call

Meaning
when performers return to the stage to receive applause
Example
After their amazing act, the team received a standing ovation during the **curtain call**.
idiom

come to terms

Meaning
to reach an agreement after discussion or conflict
Example
After weeks of negotiation, both sides finally **came to terms**.
idiom

catch up

Meaning
to meet and talk after a long time; to reach the same level as someone
Example
Let’s **catch up** over coffee this weekend.
idiom

call the bluff

Meaning
to challenge someone to prove their authority or claim
Example
She **called his bluff** when he threatened to quit.
idiom

crack the code

Meaning
to solve a complex problem or mystery
Example
It took hours, but we finally **cracked the code** of the system error.
idiom

cloud computing

Meaning
the practice of using remote servers to store, manage, and process data over the internet
Example
Many businesses rely on **cloud computing** for data storage and security.
idiom

cut someone some slack

Meaning
to be less critical or give someone a break
Example
You should **cut him some slack**—he’s having a tough day.
idiom

catch lightning in a bottle

Meaning
to achieve something amazing and rare through creativity or luck
Example
Their new design **caught lightning in a bottle**.
idiom

come clean

Meaning
to tell the truth about something you have been hiding
Example
He finally **came clean** about what happened.
idiom

Crossing the line

Meaning
To go beyond acceptable or proper boundaries.
Example
The diplomat was criticized for **crossing the line** in his comments about the host country.
idiom

catch the train

Meaning
to be on time for a train or event
Example
Hurry up or you’ll not **catch the train**!
idiom

come straight to the point

Meaning
to be direct and honest without wasting time
Example
Please **come straight to the point** and tell me what happened.
idiom

change of scene

Meaning
a new environment or situation
Example
After months of work, I needed a **change of scene**.
idiom

count on

Meaning
to rely on or trust someone to do something
Example
You can always **count on** me.
idiom

crack down on

Meaning
to take strict action to stop something
Example
The city plans to **crack down on** illegal parking downtown.
idiom

cross the aisle

Meaning
to cooperate with members of the opposing political party
Example
He often **crosses the aisle** to work on bipartisan issues.
idiom

call someone out

Meaning
to criticize someone publicly for their behavior or actions
Example
She **called him out** for being rude to the waiter.
idiom

caught between two stools

Meaning
to fail because of trying to do two things at once
Example
He was **caught between two stools**—trying to please both his boss and his team.
idiom

couldn't believe my eyes

Meaning
to be so surprised that you doubt what you see
Example
I **couldn’t believe my eyes** when I saw the results.
idiom

clear up

Meaning
to make something easier to understand or to tidy a place
Example
Let me **clear up** the schedule so everyone knows their tasks.
idiom

cut someone down to size

Meaning
to criticize someone to make them feel less important
Example
The manager **cut him down to size** after he bragged too much.
idiom

count to ten

Meaning
to pause and calm down before reacting in anger
Example
When you’re upset, just **count to ten** before speaking.
idiom

cover all bases

Meaning
to prepare for all possible situations
Example
Before the presentation, we need to **cover all bases**.
idiom

calm down

Meaning
to become less angry or upset
Example
Please **calm down**, everything is under control.
idiom

cream of the crop

Meaning
the best of a group; the finest selection
Example
These students are the **cream of the crop**.
idiom

content is king

Meaning
high-quality content is the most important factor for success online
Example
Never forget that **content is king** in digital marketing.